Monumental Day for Orlando as Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Opens
Yesterday marked a monumental day in Orlando’s history as the $500 million Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts was opened.
Phase one of the 330,000 gross square feet Dr. Phillips Center is now home to two theaters. The 2,731-seat, 6,000-square-foot Walt Disney Theater will host Broadway shows, concerts and other large-scale traveling performance while the smaller, more intimate Alexis and Jim Pugh Theater, which seats 300, will be used for theater, dance, music and education events as well as be a venue for weddings and banquets.
“Today truly is a once in a life time day, an event in the life of our city. With the opening of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, we take our place on world stage,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. He continued, “We’ll have the most magnificent performing arts center in the entire U.S. It’s going to be a game-changer for downtown. It’s something we’ve worked on for 30 years,” said Dyer. “It will give us a state-of-the-art performing arts center that can host virtually any arts performance you can think of.”
The ceremonial grand opening was conducted by various county, city and Dr. Phillips center for the Performing Arts officers on the front lawn in front of the facility before the building was opened for a tour of the performing arts venue.
Dr. Phillip Phillips is the namesake of the performing arts center and the new building is actually within walking distance of the house of Dr. Phillips and his wife Della owned on Lucerne Circle. The couple hosted many concerts, bring acclaimed musicians from all around the world to play on their front lawn for the entire community. Dr. Phillips, born in 1874, was a prominent businessman and philanthropist who was particularly active in the Central Florida area until he passed away in 1959.
Construction for the nine-acre project began in June 2011 and it now proudly resides on two blocks bordered by Orange Ave and Rosalind St on the west and east and South St and Anderson St on the south and north.
The main areas include:
Walt Disney Theater — The Walt Disney Theater (pictured above) is the largest theater space in the new center. It offers exceptional sightlines, center aisles and will host everything from Broadway shows to rock legends and family shows to conferences. The theater includes two balconies and every seat truly does have a fantastic view.
Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater — The theater (pictured above) is also referred to as the community theater and is a multi level, multi purpose venue. The area seats approximately 300 people in its intimate setting and it offers many different seating and stage configurations. The layout is a U-shape with the stage extending into the audience area so it is surrounded on three sides (known as a thrust stage). The orchestra level seating can also transform into a flat floor for performance, banquets and events.
Seneff Arts Plaza – This area is the community’s outdoor living room. A lively, lush and inviting space that fronts the center and faces Orlando City Hall.
DeVos Family Room — The DeVos Family room sits above Magnolia Ave and overlooks the Seneff Arts Plaza. The room has windows on three sides as well as magnificent sliding glass doors giving spectacular views of downtown Orlando and the plaza.
Main Lobby — The “theater before the theater” is the main entry way and has concession areas, bars and ample restrooms. the front of the house apparently has 78 sinks, 123 stalls and 34 urinals in case you were wondering! In the Harriett’s Ladies Lounge there are 16 stalls and 9 sinks. Harriett Lakes lent her name to the area and her favorite pink color is heavily in evidence. The lobby itself spans five stories and the remarkable “Wave Wall” separates the lobby from the two theaters.
The School of Arts – Innovative educational programs, initiatives and collaborations are also a feature of the new facility. Performance based education and professional development are both on offer to everyone either on stage or in the classroom.
The arts center has a vision of “Arts for Every Life” and a mission to be an inspirational, creative place where people love to be and where they love to work.
Kathy Ramsberger, President & CEO of The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, (pictured above with yours truly) said: “As we open these doors that means we’re on, we want you to come, we want you to be members, we want you to buy tickets to our jazz series and the Broadway series. We have a great partnership with Broadway across America and we have exceeded the all time record of subscriptions before we have opened. We have incredible shows and incredible acts, we have great family shows, speakers and dance concerts. We have the Orlando ballet, this is their new home, and we’re working closely with Orlando Philharmonic and they’re going to be here too. The Dr. Phillips Center is more than a building because now the doors are opened the building comes to life, creating a cultural institution that inspires and energies the community.”
The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is a welcome addition to the Orlando landscape and it’s just another reason to visit the City Beautiful. Orlando is more than theme parks and tourism. It’s dynamic and it’s quickly becoming the best place to live in the whole of the United States. We hope you’ll come and see what is going on… it’s only just begun!
More photos at www.FloridaLeisurePhotography.com
